The new Ternstroemia cultivar is a product of chance discovery by the inventor at a commercial nursery in Fort White, Fla. in August of 2006. The inventor discovered the new variety as a single branch, naturally occurring mutation of the parent variety, an unnamed Ternstroemia gymnanthera. 
After identifying the new variety as a potentially interesting selection, the inventor first organized propagation of ‘BROODY’ by terminal vegetative cuttings September of 2006 at the same commercial nursery in Fort White, Fla. The inventor continued controlled testing and propagation, assessing stability of the unique characteristics of this variety. At least four generations have been reproduced and have shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.